Intercontinental Exchange (ICE)
Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) is a leading operator of global exchanges and clearing houses, as well as an advanced data and technology provider. ICE operates 23 regulated exchanges and marketplaces including the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), ICE Futures U.S., London Stock Exchange Group’s LSEG Derivatives Markets, Nasdaq Inc.’s NASDAQ Futures, NFX and CME Group’s Chicago Mercantile Exchange. It also offers over-the-counter trading services for spot FX, fixed income securities, energy products, metals contracts and other commodities through its various subsidiaries including ICE Clear Europe in London.
In 2018 Intercontinental Exchange acquired cryptocurrency exchange platform Bakkt which aims to bring digital assets into the mainstream by offering secure infrastructure that enables investors to buy trade store cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin with confidence through futures contracts or physical delivery of crypto assets without exposure to price volatility or security risks associated with holding cryptos on unregulated platforms. The company plans to launch physically settled Bitcoin futures sometime in late 2019/early 2020 pending regulatory approval from the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC).
The acquisition of Bakkt has enabled Intercontinental Exchange to become a major player in the cryptocurrency space providing it access to new markets while enabling existing customers access more diversified investment options through their trusted brokerages accounts eliminating any need for them to use decentralized third party wallets or exchanges not licensed under US regulations like Coinbase Pro or Binance US etc.
